Fort Bend County, TX – Local weather forecasters are predicting a 50-80% chance of showers and thunderstorms through tonight with a drying trend beginning on Sunday early into next week. River levels at Rosharon are expected to crest sometime Sunday afternoon, while river levels in Richmond continue to slowly recede. However, localized rainfall occurring within Fort Bend County can impact river levels still measuring well above historic levels.

State and local emergency personnel have seen a significant decrease in rescues in Fort Bend County and are focusing efforts downstream in Brazoria County.

Residents are strongly urged to avoid driving or wading through flood waters due to potentially swift moving currents and exposure to waterborne bacteria, flood debris, and displaced wildlife including alligators, venomous snakes, and fire ants.

Flood waters are still expected to slowly recede and remain high throughout the weekend into next week due to recent rainfall and historic river flows. “As the river continues to fall, state and local resources are shifting their focus to recovery efforts and residents are reminded that the recovery process will take some time and to remain patient throughout the process”, County Judge Bob Hebert said. Residents affected by flooding are encouraged to pre-register for flood disaster relief with FEMA at 1-800-621-3362.

County officials are currently conducting flood damage assessments and planning strategies for a systematic re-entry process addressing road re-opening, debris removal, environmental safety, and law enforcement security. Residents re-entering flood damaged homes should be aware of potential flood related hazards including potentially contaminated well water and exposure to chemicals, sewage, bacteria, physical and electrical hazards, and displaced wildlife. For insurance purposes, residents should consider taking photos depicting the degree of flood damage to their residence and personal property. Residents are also cautioned not to begin demolition projects prior to consulting your insurance agent.

For the most accurate and up to date information, please visit fbcoem.org website or call 281-342-6185.

Fort Bend County is located in the Texas Southeast, immediately South and West of Harris County and the city of Houston. It is the home of over 715,000 people and is one of the fastest growing counties in the United States. For more information about Fort Bend County, visit the county homepage at http://www.fortbendcountytx.gov.

The Office of Emergency Management (OEM) was established to protect the residents and property of Fort Bend County from damage relating to disasters. The OEM accomplishes this through effective planning, preparation, response, and recovery. For more information about the Fort Bend County OEM, visit the OEM homepage at http://www.fbcoem.org.

Fort Bend County, TX – The National Weather Service is calling for continued rainfall through Saturday, June 4 which could increase inflows to already flood swollen rivers potentially causing additional flooding and drainage problems in Fort Bend County communities. Judge Robert Hebert spoke to the media at the Fort Bend County Emergency Management Center (EOC) to address residents concerns over rising waters.

According to Judge Hebert, “despite some reports of levee failures on social media, there are no breached levees in Fort Bend County and all levees are intact and working as designed”. Citizens are urged to check fbcoem.org for the most accurate and up to date information.

As part of a coordinated effort, over 300 emergency personnel including Texas Parks and Wildlife, Texas Task Force 1, Texas Army National Guard, Department of Public Safety, and the Texas A&M Forest Service are assisting local agencies in a combined effort to help affected residents. The Texas Animal Health Commission and Texas A&M University Veterinarian Team are providing care to injured and displaced pets and livestock.

Fort Bend County Public Transportation Department has been monitoring and responding to county and local jurisdictional needs. Evacuees rescued by boat or high water vehicles have been transported to designated shelters by the County’s Transportation Department.

The National Weather Service is forecasting the Brazos River to maintain record levels into next week, and the predicted rainfall could cause more concern. This means entry to flooded areas will continue to be inaccessible and displaced residents will be unable to reach their homes for several more days.

With the current disaster declaration expiring soon, the Fort Bend County Commissioners Court will hold a special meeting this Friday, June 3rd, 2016 to extend the declaration for two more weeks.

If residents have questions or concerns, they should contact the Fort Bend County Office of Emergency Management by calling 281-342-6185.

Fort Bend County is located in the Texas Southeast, immediately South and West of Harris County and the city of Houston. It is the home of over 715,000 people and is one of the fastest growing counties in the United States. For more information about Fort Bend County, visit the county homepage at http://www.fortbendcountytx.gov.

The Office of Emergency Management (OEM) was established to protect the residents and property of Fort Bend County from damage relating to disasters. The OEM accomplishes this through effective planning, preparation, response, and recovery. For more information about the Fort Bend County OEM, visit the OEM homepage at http://www.fbcoem.org.

]]>2016-11-16T21:41:17Zhttp://www.fbcoem.org/go/doc/1528/2837590/NewsFort Bend County2016-11-16T21:41:17ZBrazos River Levels Surpass Record Levels-Water Levels Continue to Rise Throughout Fort Bend County

Picture:Bois D'Arc lowing to Jones Creek, Simonton, TX

Fort Bend County, TX– The Brazos River in Fort Bend County is reaching record levels. The Office of Emergency Management along with law enforcement, municipalities, school districts, Levee Improvement Districts and many critical county departments are working together to coordinate planning, preparation and support to affected residents.

The National Weather Service previously predicted a 53.5 crest which has been surpassed and the new estimation is 53.8. As of 5pm today the levels were measuring above this at 53.95. Weather reports are suggesting scattered showers the next few days with a possibility of localized rainfall in some areas. This localized rainfall could cause area flooding as drainage areas are full and the ground is saturated.

Many areas near the river have called for evacuations. At this time, parts of Richmond, Rosenberg, Simonton, unincorporated areas North of the river near Rosenberg , and Thompsons have all called for evacuations. Residents are urged to take action for their own safety. “This level of water in the river has not been seen in many of our lifetimes and we urge residents to heed these warnings,” said Jeff Braun, Emergency Management Coordinator for Fort Bend County. Approximately 120 rescues have been conducted in Fort Bend County with over 90 of those water rescues being conducted by the Texas Task Force 1.

Even if your home sits at a high enough elevation to avoid the water, if you are in one of these evacuation areas, the entire area around you is likely to be inundated causing you to be stranded, “ Jeff stressed. The level of the river is expected to stay above major flood conditions into the weekend.

Shelters have been established at the First Baptist Church in Richmond and the Bible Fellowship Church in Brookshire. Residents needing medical or functional assistance should call Enable Fort Bend at 211. Information about road closures, an interactive map of flooding estimations, and other safety tips may be found at the Fort Bend County Office of Emergency Management website www.fbcoem.org or by calling 281 342 6185.

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Fort Bend County is located in the Texas Southeast, immediately South and West of Harris County and the city of Houston. It is the home of over 715,000 people and is one of the fastest growing counties in the United States. For more information about Fort Bend County, visit the county homepage at http://www.fortbendcountytx.gov.

The Office of Emergency Management (OEM) was established to protect the residents and property of Fort Bend County from damage relating to disasters. The OEM accomplishes this through effective planning, preparation, response, and recovery. For more information about the Fort Bend County OEM, visit the OEM homepage at http://www.fbcoem.org.

Fort Bend County, TX – The Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Small Business Administration have offered assistance to over fifty residents of Fort Bend County with over $330,000 in assistance already. So far, more than265 residents have applied for some kind of assistance since damaging storms moved through last month in the 2016 Tax Day Flood. Today, they expand their capabilities at the Fort Bend County United Way Service Center, bringing representatives from FEMA, the Small Business Administration, non-profit community agencies, the State of Texas, and local specialists to help answer questions and help residents navigate the disaster assistance process.

"The Disaster Recovery Center is an important resource for our residents. Now that we are a few weeks removed from the storms, some residents may have already received determination letters, started a SBA loan process, or just have questions about the status of their assistance." says Jeff Braun, Emergency Management Coordinator for Fort Bend County. “The Disaster Recovery Center is a valuable resource since residents can sit face-to-face with a recovery specialist and have all their questions answered.”

If individuals have received a Determination Letter - or have started the assistance process and have questions or need clarification - they should visit the new FEMA Disaster Recovery Center open Thursday at the United Way Fort Bend County Center on Parc Crest Drive in Stafford.

The recovery center will serve as a central location for survivors from Fort Bend County who need one-on-one help. State and federal professionals will be available to assist eligible survivors get help as quickly as possible.

Visiting with a recovery specialist is not a requirement for survivors who want disaster assistance, but the centers are an excellent way for people to get answers to their questions about disaster aid and help applying for it. Some of the services may include:

Guidance regarding disaster recovery

Clarification of any written correspondence received

Housing Assistance and Rental Resources information

Answers to questions, resolutions to problems and referrals to agencies that may provide further assistance

Status of applications being processed by FEMA

The Federal Government is not the only source of assistance for survivors of the storm; local nonprofit agencies can help too. Many residents had their damaged homes cleaned up by volunteer teams; others have had assistance with moving, food, and rent as well.

Nonprofit community agencies - along with representatives from City, County, and federal government - work together to address immediate needs and to plan a transition for long-term recovery. The opening of this recovery center in Fort Bend County is a great example of the nonprofit community, local and federal government working together to ensure that access to long term recovery services are available in our community. The United Way Fort Bend Center houses over 16 agencies and 27 programs that can provide social services to our community on a year-round basis. In addition, the United Way of Greater Houston operates the 2-1-1 Texas/United Way HELPLINE, a free social services helpline that operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, every day of the year.

“We are pleased that our United Way Fort Bend Center is a valuable resource for Fort Bend County residents,” said Anna M. Babin, President and CEO of United Way of Greater Houston. “We are in our community helping those who serve connect with those in need every day. The Disaster Recovery Center is a natural extension of what we do, and we sincerely hope that those affected by the recent floods will take full advantage of the services they provide.”

The Disaster Recovery Center will be open Monday-Friday, 9:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M., Saturday from 9:00 A.M. - 2:00 P.M., and closed Sunday. It is located at:

Individuals with storm damage should register for assistance online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 800-621-3362 (FEMA) from 7 A.M. to 10 P.M. before visiting the Disaster Recovery Center, since doing so can greatly reduce the time spent in line. Multilingual operators are available.

Disaster assistance applicants who have a speech disability or hearing loss and use TTY should call 800-462-7585 directly; for those who use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (local time) seven days a week until further notice.

Assistance for eligible survivors can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, and for other serious disaster-related needs, such as medical and dental expenses or funeral and burial costs. Low-interest disaster loans from SBA also may be available to cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations.

Eligible survivors should register with FEMA even if they have insurance. FEMA cannot duplicate insurance payments, but under-insured applicants may receive help after their insurance claims have been settled.

Fort Bend County is located in the Texas Southeast, immediately South and West of Harris County and the city of Houston. It is the home of over 600,000 people and is one of the fastest growing counties in the United States. For more information about Fort Bend County, visit the county homepage at http://www.fortbendcountytx.gov.

The Office of Emergency Management (OEM) was established to protect the residents and property of Fort Bend County from damage relating to disasters. The OEM accomplishes this through effective planning, preparation, response, and recovery. For more information about the Fort Bend County OEM, visit the OEM homepage at http://www.fbcoem.org.

Fort Bend County, TX – The Fort Bend County Office of Emergency Management, in partnership with the Fort Bend County Drainage District, conducted quarterly training with the Fort Bend County Levee Improvement Districts on August 19, 2016 at the Gus George Law Enforcement Academy in Richmond. This training is part of a series of opportunities for Levee Improvement District Board Members, Attorneys, Engineers and Operating Companies.

Fort Bend County has a total of 99 miles of Levees in the County, 27 of which protect the Brazos River frontage. The total value of structures and land protected by levees in the county is approximately $14.3 billion with 1 in 4 people in Fort Bend County protected by levees.

Also present at the training were members of the Army Corps of Engineers, the US Geological Survey Office, the cities of Richmond and Missouri City. The training this quarter focused on the recent flood events in Fort Bend County and the Levee Districts response to the flood. David Brown, Chief Hydrologist with the US Geological Survey Office, was on hand to discuss how Brazos River flowrate measures were taken and how these measurements integrate with the National Weather Service flood forecasts and FEMA’s flood plain maps.

According to Brown, “The USGS continues to work with local, state and federal agencies in providing reliable streamflow information for the lower Brazos River. This is a collaborative effort between the Fort Bend County Drainage District, Fort Bend County Office of Emergency Management, Brazos River Authority, Texas Water Development Board, Army Corps of Engineers and the USGS. The Purpose of this streamflow information is to help minimize loss of life and property from natural disasters and manage water resources in the lower Brazos River”.

The USGS is the Nation’s largest water, earth, and biological science and civilian mapping agency. The USGS collects, monitors, analyzes and provides scientific understanding about natural resource conditions, issues and problems. The diversity of the USGS scientific expertise enables them to carry out large-scale, multi-disciplinary investigations and provide impartial scientific information to resource managers, planners and other customers.

The Fort Bend County Office of Emergency Management and the Fort Bend County Drainage District are committed to protecting those lives and property through education, exercises, resources and planning. If you have any questions about a levee near you, contact your local Levee Improvement District.

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Fort Bend County is located in the Texas Southeast, immediately South and West of Harris County and the city of Houston. It is the home of over 715,000 people and is one of the fastest growing counties in the United States. For more information about Fort Bend County, visit the county homepage at http://www.fortbendcountytx.gov.

The Office of Emergency Management (OEM) was established to protect the residents and property of Fort Bend County from damage relating to disasters. The OEM accomplishes this through effective planning, preparation, response, and recovery. For more information about the Fort Bend County OEM, visit the OEM homepage at http://www.fbcoem.org.

Fort Bend County, TX – Last month, a group of Students from Shady Oaks Primary School in Richmond had the opportunity to tour the sixty-two year old Fort Bend County Emergency Operations Center. On October 11, 2016, students and staff learned all about the role of emergency management in their community and steps their families could take to make their homes and neighborhoods safer.

"We really enjoy having these student groups come through," says Alan Spears, Deputy Emergency Management Coordinator for Fort Bend County, "maybe something they see today will spark their interest in a career of public service in Emergency Management, or at least they will with a better understanding of the work being done and can be less afraid of disasters."

As the students and teachers moved through the building, each stop raised new questions, and staff at the Office of Emergency Management were happy to answer questions, demonstrate technology, and tell stories about the building and disaster responses. They were able to learn about planning for catastrophic incidents, acquiring funds for equipment and training for responders, and community outreach.

As the students left, they were sent back to school with bags of preparedness tools including flashlights, whistles, coloring pages, and information on safety for their families in a disaster.

For information about community outreach or to schedule a tour of the Fort Bend County EOC for yourself or a group, please contact Alan Spears at 281-342-6185 or send an email message to oem@FortBendCountyTX.gov.

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Fort Bend County is located in the Texas Southeast, immediately South and West of Harris County and the city of Houston. It is the home of over 715,000 people and is one of the fastest growing counties in the United States. For more information about Fort Bend County, visit the county homepage at http://www.fortbendcountytx.gov.

The Office of Emergency Management (OEM) was established to protect the residents and property of Fort Bend County from damage relating to disasters. The OEM accomplishes this through effective planning, preparation, response, and recovery. For more information about the Fort Bend County OEM, visit the OEM homepage at http://www.fbcoem.org.

Fort Bend County, TX – The recent flooding has left many people asking themselves, "what can I do to help?" This charitable spirit is common following disasters of any type and has numerous outlets in the community. Of course there are numerous local non-profit organizations that stood up to the challenge during the recent flooding, but there are also plenty of volunteer opportunities for people of all skill sets at Fort Bend County as well.

"Historically our Volunteer Programs have been critical to our success at the Office of Emergency Management." Jeff Braun, Emergency Management Coordinator for Fort Bend County continues: "Our volunteers have helped us with everything from emergency responses to day-to-day logistical assistance. Thanks to Ed Norman, our Volunteer Coordinator, we can rely on our volunteers whenever possible to help us get the job done."

Residents who want to serve their neighbors in their neighborhoods following a disaster may be interested in Community Emergency Response Training (CERT). CERT prepares average citizens of all ages and abilities to respond to emergencies and disasters within their own neighborhoods until help arrives. This basic training includes disaster medical, light search and rescue, fire extinguisher use, disaster psychology, CERT organization, and disaster preparedness. Completing the basic CERT training enables citizens to serve in additional roles within the Fort Bend County Office of Emergency Management Volunteer Programs.

If a resident is thinking that they want to be hands-on in supporting the County's operations during a disaster, the Citizen Support Team (CST) is a great program since in times of disaster and emergencies, members of the Citizen Support Team provide technological assistance to the county agency liaisons who are activated in the Emergency Operations Center. Additionally, the CST members support the phone bank, Incident Management Team and serve in the Joint Information Center.

Some people want to be hands-on with a response, and would like to be positioned near the incident scene, or in the field during a disaster. For those people, an Incident Support Team (IST) might be the best fit. Members of the Incident Support Team serve in the field with various operations during emergencies, incidents and events. IST provides support for Incident Management, Multi-Agency Resource Centers, first responders and large events such as the Fort Bend County Fair.

We cannot respond to disasters unless we plan, prepare, and exercise for emergency response. Some residents who might not want to be in the field or work long shifts in the EOC but still want to assist may be interested in the critical Exercise and Training SupportTeam (EST). Individuals serving on the EST have an opportunity to utilize their skills and experience to support the FBCOEM training programs, exercises within the county. Additionally, the EST manages and works with the volunteers of the Zombie Strike Team, a group of volunteer actors who portray victims and bystanders in disaster, active shooter and terrorism exercises.

Many residents choose to help from wherever they are, at any time, and without notice. The Severe Weather Team (SWT) is a critical pipeline for weather information into decision-making organizations during a disaster.The National Weather Service provides introductory training in Basic and Advanced Skywarn for members of the SWT as weather spotters. CoCoRaHS, the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow network gives citizens an opportunity to participate in weather data collection within their own neighborhoods. This data is then complied and shared with multiple agencies responding to the disaster and helps keep the public and responders safe.

The Virtual Operations Support Team (VOST) functions like the Severe Weather Team but gathers real-time updates from public information sources and feeds data back to the Emergency Operations Center for analysis and dissemination. It may be hard to believe that you can help your local Office of Emergency Management by surfing Facebook, but it is true! The VOST fills a critical need in the Emergency Operations Center: giving us eyes outside our walls. Often times we have heard of road closures, damaged infrastructure, and other unsafe situations because of what is posted on social media even before the information can reach the operation staff. This information can save lives, and help the responders on the ground prioritize and tailor the response.

Fort Bend County is located in the Texas Southeast, immediately South and West of Harris County and the city of Houston. It is the home of over 715,000 people and is one of the fastest growing counties in the United States. For more information about Fort Bend County, visit the county homepage at http://www.fortbendcountytx.gov.

The Office of Emergency Management (OEM) was established to protect the residents and property of Fort Bend County from damage relating to disasters. The OEM accomplishes this through effective planning, preparation, response, and recovery. For more information about the Fort Bend County OEM, visit the OEM homepage at http://www.fbcoem.org.

Fort Bend County, TX – When there's an emergency, the County's Emergency Operations Center becomes a bustling hum of emergency response activities in the county: multiple departments, agencies, and organizations gather to coordinate their response activities, preventing duplication and dangerous conditions for responders. What happens when the Emergency Operations Center is taken out, be it by a cyber-attack, a tornado, or a fire?

Fort Bend County owns two pieces of equipment called Mobile Voice and Data Redundancy units, and they're designed to address just such a situation. These trailers, each almost forty feet long, have state of the art connectivity on-board, and are designed to share that connectivity.

"There are a number of scenarios where data and voice connectivity is lost, and these assets are designed purposely to bring the voice and data connectivity back in a powerful way" says Jeff Braun, Emergency Management Coordinator for Fort Bend County. The units, which were purchased with Homeland Security grant funds, were designed in-house in conjunction with IT and disaster redundancy professionals advising at every step of the process. "With these units, we can roll up to any building and basically make it part of a high-speed network. We don't just rely on satellite dishes like some of the older equipment, but rather satellite dishes in conjunction with other next-generation data delivery systems."

Of course, there are times when even a building is hard to come by. In that case the trailers pack an extra punch: pop-up structures rated for the wind, rain, and intense heat common in our part of the country. These pop-up structures were designed to augment the trailer's IT presence with physical space for responders, even sporting a PA system, flat-screen TVs, and folding tables and chairs. These structures could augment the trailer's interior volume and theoretically allow up to 20 people to deploy with each trailer. Theoretically, at least, until this January.

Too often highly technical equipment designed for disasters sits until a crisis happens, leaving operators confused and equipment worn or broken. In addition to exercises, the Fort Bend County Office of Emergency Management had the opportunity to test the equipment this January when the Constable Precinct 4's office in Sugar Land had to be vacated for construction. In a partnership with Constable Nehls, Fort Bend County Facilities Maintenance, and Fort Bend County Information Technology, Office of Emergency Management staff set up the trailer and attached tent on January 25 as a temporary office space for the Constable Precinct 4's office.

“I have to say we were a little nervous to think we would be conducting business out of a trailer and tent; however, after meeting with the team of the Office of Emergency Management personnel and IT personnel who would conduct the deployment of the Mobile Voice and Data Redundancy unit, we were very impressed and looked forward to our transition” says Constable Nehls, Precinct 4 Constable.

The trailer and tent stood for over two months while the constables' office was remodeled, during which time the Mobile Voice and Data Redundancy unit kept everyone relatively dry, comfortable, and most of all: productive.

“Through this transition, we gained a great relationship with personnel we may need to work with in the future during an emergency situation and we were able to provide important information on a 60 day deployment of the unit” says Constable Nehls.

This deployment proved that the concept works: we can help augment emergency operations, even in a secure environment, using these mobile assets. The Office of Emergency Management learned valuable lessons about setting up, maintaining, and servicing the units which would have been impossible in a short exercise and the constables' office got a safe workspace for a couple months.

Fort Bend County is located in the Texas Southeast, immediately South and West of Harris County and the city of Houston. It is the home of over 715,000 people and is one of the fastest growing counties in the United States. For more information about Fort Bend County, visit the county homepage at http://www.fortbendcountytx.gov.

The Office of Emergency Management (OEM) was established to protect the residents and property of Fort Bend County from damage relating to disasters. The OEM accomplishes this through effective planning, preparation, response, and recovery. For more information about the Fort Bend County OEM, visit the OEM homepage at http://www.fbcoem.org.

Fort Bend County, TX – Two weeks ago Fort Bend County opened a Flood Recovery Center, the first time Fort Bend County has operated such a center for any disaster. Since its opening, the center has assisted nearly fifty residents, providing them with information on rebuilding, elevating, grants, property buy-outs, and floodplains.

"The Flood Recovery Center has been a great success so far," comments Jeff Braun, Emergency Management Coordinator for Fort Bend County, "we have been able to facilitate and streamline face-to-face communication between flood survivors and County officials."

The Flood Recovery Center will be open for only one more week, closing on Saturday, October 8, at 12:00 pm. After that, flood survivors will have to travel to individual county offices to speak with the various departments helping with recovery.

"We have been able to provide the same service to residents as before, but for now it is just a lot easier for them to get answers to all their questions with just one visit," adds Caroline Egan, Recovery Manager for Fort Bend County. "If residents can make it to the center on Monday, Thursday, or Saturday this week, they will have a far easier time getting any outstanding questions answered.

Fort Bend County is located in the Texas Southeast, immediately South and West of Harris County and the city of Houston. It is the home of over 715,000 people and is one of the fastest growing counties in the United States. For more information about Fort Bend County, visit the county homepage at http://www.fortbendcountytx.gov.

The Office of Emergency Management (OEM) was established to protect the residents and property of Fort Bend County from damage relating to disasters. The OEM accomplishes this through effective planning, preparation, response, and recovery. For more information about the Fort Bend County OEM, visit the OEM homepage at http://www.fbcoem.org.

Fort Bend County, TX – Online shopping may be killing the shopping mall, but when you have questions or need specialized help, many people prefer a one-stop-shopping experience. That is why Fort Bend County has opened its first-ever Flood Recovery Center, staffed by experts in flood recovery and mitigation, to help citizens navigate the complex road ahead to recovery. One visit to the Flood Recovery Center can answer many questions and help residents get a clearer picture of their own path forward.

"There are a lot of county employees and a lot of departments involved in this recovery process," says Jeff Braun, Emergency Management Coordinator for Fort Bend County. "Opening the center was critical since otherwise some residents would have to visit two or three different county offices just to get their questions answered. This way everyone a resident may need to talk to are in the same room."

In May and June of this year heavy rainfall caused the already-high Brazos River to overrun its banks, surpassing records and causing millions of dollars of damage in Fort Bend County. Now, months later, hundreds of residents are still without homes as they untangle the complicated web of assistance available to them.

The County distributed letters this week explaining some of the mitigation programs residents can apply for; if residents have any questions about that letter, or anything else recovery-related, they should visit the Flood Recovery Center.

"The Flood Recovery Center will be open for about a month to give residents time to schedule an appointment and come have their questions answered." adds Caroline Egan, Senior Planning Coordinator/Recovery Manager for Fort Bend County. The Flood Recovery Center is open on Mondays and Thursdays from 2:00 pm to 7:00 pm until October 6, and Saturday October 1st and 8th from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm.

Fort Bend County is located in the Texas Southeast, immediately South and West of Harris County and the city of Houston. It is the home of over 715,000 people and is one of the fastest growing counties in the United States. For more information about Fort Bend County, visit the county homepage at http://www.fortbendcountytx.gov.

The Office of Emergency Management (OEM) was established to protect the residents and property of Fort Bend County from damage relating to disasters. The OEM accomplishes this through effective planning, preparation, response, and recovery. For more information about the Fort Bend County OEM, visit the OEM homepage at http://www.fbcoem.org.